The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-07-15
!! G0OD! ] ]! DlOti |! / STORY.
spa a1 ysssh u sasher MNsosh.


d ith dull monotony on the icy snow.
D The mounted officers were mufilsd in
long ovsrccats. and when the steeds
|snortsd The breath 81 the horses
ssosssil + seemed ID freeze IN the air.
sl6e quiet, gloomy, star-lit SKY. to-
{ asarss shich ) fog-cloud Of smoke
scared upwards Ii the distance, ap-3
Spe1 Nh 10 rsst on q board basement
SOfE Sixen hasns.
outsids The village extended the
sIass open courtyard Of . farm which
AithouRh II stood alone, had also be-
sn,s i prey ~ the devouring element.
Tbs conil grationsh had gained the ROOT,
cock loft and cattle houses, and
iornesa y steady advancing sheet Of
IRA thoGsand lambent tongues Of
flame shot boy yond the charred walls
toward the orchard fruit-trees and
Iths tall poplars along the road. A
corpse was stretched full length in front
Iof the courtyard door; but, beyond
the kissing and cracking otthe flames,
everything around Was silent and
sdessrted
Suddenly the mad howl Of power.
I'M watchdog broke the still.
ness % tho gloom. In vain did The
poor beast wrench on the chain that
sthrottled him and howl at his APP
proachinefate. The Prussian soldiery,
who had LETT house and home, wife
and children, 70 fight their hereditary
Toe, were deal even I o the Cries Of mer-
icy which fell from the lips of a human
being How then could such men be
expected TO stop their victorious ca
sreers 30 lnbind Che leash CT 80 insiR-
snificaMt AN object as a wretched dog?
The battalion had already marched
sby and only al lew stragelers were left
bahiad. One of them stopped, should
cred Ills rifle-strap and peared snto the
yard He saw the dog and pitied the
poor brute. The man was O. Pole and
had some heart, He remembered the
slear old 0iastiff which had left home
to follow him In the present campaign
and hid died III the ditch by the road
side, Hc cautiously entered the blaz.
Inn courtyard and approached the
Kennel. The Watch-dov came ont and
took conf idenee at the blue eyes and
sOypsn conntcnance Of the deliverer.
The Pole 4thstrapped the leather coll,
lar and the poor ANIMAL was freel
IL was large white dog, with woolly
scoat, long tail and pointed ears. Il
sta ted to follow tile stranger; but, on.
rGaching the dend man at the
fttr1l-ya ard door. it drew near slow
timidly scented the lifeless
body and began TO whine. The faith
I'LL creature had recognized it's master
and began licking his brown and cal
eiouss hand. VainIy the soldier beck
oned, called and Whistled; he ha to
drag the animal away IRON the corpse,
ssfteE lsassing round its neck a rope
which had served the purpose OF y
eirti III to tho dogs dead master,
ii.
The French had retired and the
Prusaian battalion pitched it's camp
/ on the outskirts Of the wood. Fires
+ were kindled. and he who had wine or
brandy iii his gourd gave some to the
rest. The comrades drew near to
Irlayian yalnizki.as the land dwebrman
was called; they looked at the dog
1 ana made ftan 81 the soft.hearted
4 s.P 0lak,, He only frowned and held
I I,fs peitce. The dog, who seemed to un-
derstand that the jeering mood OF the
soldiers might influence his new mas
Ter to get rid OF him, caressed bis
hand With HIS nose, or looked up at
him ana wappel it's tail. Still, tor
many days the animal refused all
kinds of nourishment. Once only,
q sWiiil6sthe eols,n,a was on march, and
several 81 the men left the ranks to
+ drink Mt d stre am, the dog went to
the bank and Tapped up the water
aWithsa fUyAriSl AViClity, 6is
One day .. fearful battle was fought.
Viyau the struggle was over and the
sole diers were gathered round their
& camp. j kst Ties, the dog cronched at
i lis fiiend,s feet and looked up at him,
The Pole offered the now we'll.
4 iiigfl furnished animal the rind OF a
niece 81 cheese which had long been
h sto we'd away In the depths OF his pock.
B Sst The dog for a long time scented
The food, as il to make sure that it be,
slonged to his master and nobody else
/; THE poor craature this time accept
{ { cd the proffersd pittance; 1t began tc
eat slowly, and with o sort
of dignity, like one who does the
n thing merely to oblige another. From
that day the Pole got the dogs food
from the country stores which he came
across in the long marches over
{ French soil.
One evening, the Sergeant OF his
squad said to the landwehrman:
What are YOU going to do with
that beast r.
Take it home with me, y replied the
IS ole. 81 need a watch-d og and cannot
hope 10 meet With better one"
iii,
At last the armistice was concluded
and peace proclaimed. The ndwshy
men looked at each other with joyfu
ewes and clasped their hands in siient
token 81 better days. AT the frs,
I fpHp they reached the whole battal
& lion wAs bundled into a train which
steamed Oh in the direction Of tn,
Eatheriand. They had no soonel
I passed the frontier, than the soldier